Waterproof

More Information  · Supplied Accessories  · Recommended Accessories Price $799.00 List Price $1,425.95 Magnification 20x-60x Field of view 1000 yards 98' @ 20x Near Focus 16' Eye Relief 15mm @ 20x Exit Pupil 4mm @ 20x Twilight Factor 40 @ 20x Weight 53 oz Aperture 80mm Length 17" Armored Yes Waterproof Yes Warranty Limited Lifetime

Optical features of this scope . . .

80mm objective lens gathers over 77% more light than a 60mm scope for superior low light performance.

An extra-low dispersion ED Prime glass element in the objective lens combines high light transmission with very low chromatic aberration. This gives markedly reduced color fringing at the edges of the field when compared with conventional crown and flint glass optics, plus excellent color fidelity and saturation in all light conditions. The optical performance of the ED Prime lens is close to that of the best fluorite lens systems, but at about half the cost.

Costly barium crown (BaK4) prisms are used in the porro prism image erector for the highest possible light transmission.

All air to glass optical surfaces (prisms, lenses, and eyepieces) are fully multicoated for maximum light transmission.

The standard equipment multicoated zoom eyepiece bayonets securely into place. It has a soft rolldown rubber eyecup for eyeglass use. The specifications to the left are for the zoom set at 20x. At 60x, the field is 50’ at 1000 yards, with 16mm of eye relief. Optional 22x and 30x wide field fixed magnification eyepieces are also available (see below).

The objective lens and eyepiece lens are treated with special Rainguard coatings. These are unique hydrophobic (water-repellent) coatings applied to the external surfaces of the optics that cause the condensation from rain, fog, or snow to form in much smaller droplets than on standard optical coatings. Smaller droplets scatter less light, resulting in higher light transmission and a much clearer image. The Rainguard Elite 80mm can even be used in a driving rain.

The body is O-ring sealed and filled with dry nitrogen to be waterproof and fogproof in all weather and temperature extremes. Nitrogen purging also prevents the internal formation of fungus in high humidity climates, such as rain forests.

The prism housing is armored for extra protection from unexpected bumps and knocks in the field.

The scope’s long focusing knob is grooved for a sure grip. It is positioned at the top right front of the prism housing to allow precise focusing with either hand, even while wearing gloves or mittens.

The scope will close focus down to 15 feet. Focusing is somewhat slow, at a little over seven turns from 15’ to infinity, but very precise. This makes it easier to achieve a pin-point focus than with scopes having a very fast focus.

This Elite’s 45-degree viewing angle is generally more comfortable for watching treetop activity or for extended observing from a blind or back porch. It is also more convenient for observing couples of varying heights who must share a single scope, as there’s little need to constantly raise and lower the tripod to a comfortable eyepiece height for each observer.

A sighting line is molded into the left side of the body to help in lining up on distant subjects. You can quickly switch from locating birds, using the sighting line, to observing them close up through the eyepiece with little more than a 3" move of your head.

Mounts on any photo tripod having a standard 1/4"-20 thread mounting bolt (also has a 3/8" mounting hole for European-style tripods).

A self-storing retractable lens shade improves visual and photographic contrast.

A hard screw-in type objective lens cover is standard equipment, as is a slip-on eyepiece cover.

A water-shedding Cordura-type stay-on soft case is standard equipment. The case has zippered fold-back flaps with Velcro fasteners that allow the scope to be used on a tripod while still in its case. A detachable shoulder strap is provided for carrying the scope.

A knob at the side of the body allows the barrel to be rotated left or right from a horizontal to a vertical photographic orientation, with clickstops every 45 degrees.

An optional camera adapter (#BL80CA) allows the Elite to be converted into a high quality telephoto lens. Unlike lesser spotting scopes, which usually compromise performance by using an eyepiece as part of the photo system, the Bushnell camera adapter is a four-lens no-eyepiece system that produces photos visibly sharper than those taken through ordinary spotting scopes. The straight-through viewing version of this scope (#BU80ZR) might prove more usable for photography as it handles more instinctively like a camera/telephoto lens combination than this 45° viewing model where you must look down to photograph straight ahead.

Two optional wide field fixed magnification eyepieces are available. Each comes with a soft rolldown eyecup for eyeglass use and a slip-on eye eyepiece cover.
The 22x (#BL8022) has a huge 133’ field at 1000 yards. Even more impressive is its 28mm of usable eye relief, which allows unvignetted views of the entire field for eyeglass wearers.
The 30x (#BL8030) has an impressive 118’ field at 1000 yards, with a very good 15mm of usable eye relief.